In Karnataka Budget 2022, engineering colleges like IITs, new ‘model’ universities

NEW DELHI: The Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, in his budget speech on Friday, announced that the state will set up new model universities in seven districts in Karnataka. The new universities will come up in the districts of Chamarajanagar, Bidar, Haveri, Hassan, Kodagu, Koppal and Bagalkot districts.

The chief minister also announced that the government will build Karnataka Institutes of Technology (KITs) which will be modelled on the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that new agriculture universities will be set up in the districts of Bellary and Belagavi. He also said that the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, will have a chair on farmers' welfare.

Announcing that the state is focussing on “employment, education and empowerment” of socially and economically backward societies, Bommai said that the honorarium for mid-day meal cooks, who are paid Rs 3,000 per month, is being increased by Rs 1,000.

Free NEET, JEE Main coaching

The chief minister said that the government will provide free coaching for students competing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main, Union Public Service Commision (UPSC) and similar exams under the Mukhyamantri Vidyarthi Margadarshini scheme.

The government has allocated Rs 750 crores for Dr. BR Ambedkar hostels and Rs 165 crores for Kanakadasa Hostels.

It has set apart Rs 500 crores for infrastructure development in government schools and Rs 100 crores for purchasing benches, desks, other furniture in government high schools and pre-university colleges.

The Karnataka Government has also allocated Rs 40,944 crore for the child budget.